Category: Bangladesh

Ten years ago, Lil Wayne took the world by storm with “A Milli.” The boastful anthem arrived at a pivotal time in Weezy’s career, soundtracked by thunderous instrumentation. Everyone, it seemed, was hypnotized by the street single off Tha Carter III. Everyone, that is, except the song’s producer, Bangladesh.

“I kind of didn’t like it at first listen,” he tells Rap-Up, when reflecting on the anniversary.

“I was probably too slow to know what it was when I heard it,” he explains. “We didn’t make that song together…It kind of let me down to hear this song with no hook on it. We was conditioned to think things had to be structured a certain way, that it had to have this big hook, something relatable that people say and all that.”

“It’s an iconic moment for hip-hop and for the culture.”

He would later realize that “a milli,” the vocal sample that appears throughout, was the hook. But at the time, he couldn’t see that just yet. “I wasn’t thinking about it like that,” he adds. “I was thinking about putting a hook on the song.”

Still, instant fan reactions were hard to ignore. Some even offered mega-declarations. “I started hearing people say how it brought hip-hop back,” he recalls. “When legends were saying this, I started paying attention and started studying why they were saying it…I’m a hip-hop head so I started listening back. It was simple. 808s with drums and a chop, a sample. That’s hip-hop. Just raw drums. Boom-bap type shit. That’s what they meant. As soon as I started understanding what it is, I started understanding the impact that it had.”

And that impact was tremendous. “A Milli” created such an electrifying buzz for Tha Carter III that the album lived up to the song’s promise, moving a whopping one million units in a week. It would go on to win Best Rap Solo Performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, where CIII was awarded Best Rap Album. Ten years removed, its influence remains alive today.

“It created a lot of Lil Wayne fans,” says Bangladesh. “There’s a lot of Lil Wayne babies today that we see just based off ‘A Milli’ coming out. There’s a lot of rappers right now that’s making it, that it inspired. There’s a lot of producers that’s making beats right now that, when they first heard ‘A Milli,’ that’s why they wanted to make beats. It’s impactful and I hear it all the time. It’s an iconic moment for hip-hop and for the culture.”

Ten years ago, Lil Wayne took the world by storm with “A Milli.” The boastful anthem arrived at a pivotal time in Weezy’s career, soundtracked by thunderous instrumentation. Everyone, it seemed, was hypnotized by the street single off Tha Carter III. Everyone, that is, except the song’s producer, Bangladesh.

“I kind of didn’t like it at first listen,” he tells Rap-Up, when reflecting on the anniversary.

“I was probably too slow to know what it was when I heard it,” he explains. “We didn’t make that song together…It kind of let me down to hear this song with no hook on it. We was conditioned to think things had to be structured a certain way, that it had to have this big hook, something relatable that people say and all that.”

“It’s an iconic moment for hip-hop and for the culture.”

He would later realize that “a milli,” the vocal sample that appears throughout, was the hook. But at the time, he couldn’t see that just yet. “I wasn’t thinking about it like that,” he adds. “I was thinking about putting a hook on the song.”

Still, instant fan reactions were hard to ignore. Some even offered mega-declarations. “I started hearing people say how it brought hip-hop back,” he recalls. “When legends were saying this, I started paying attention and started studying why they were saying it…I’m a hip-hop head so I started listening back. It was simple. 808s with drums and a chop, a sample. That’s hip-hop. Just raw drums. Boom-bap type shit. That’s what they meant. As soon as I started understanding what it is, I started understanding the impact that it had.”

And that impact was tremendous. “A Milli” created such an electrifying buzz for Tha Carter III that the album lived up to the song’s promise, moving a whopping one million units in a week. It would go on to win Best Rap Solo Performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, where CIII was awarded Best Rap Album. Ten years removed, its influence remains alive today.

“It created a lot of Lil Wayne fans,” says Bangladesh. “There’s a lot of Lil Wayne babies today that we see just based off ‘A Milli’ coming out. There’s a lot of rappers right now that’s making it, that it inspired. There’s a lot of producers that’s making beats right now that, when they first heard ‘A Milli,’ that’s why they wanted to make beats. It’s impactful and I hear it all the time. It’s an iconic moment for hip-hop and for the culture.”

Bangladesh has bangers on deck. After creating explosive tracks for Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, Rihanna, and Nicki Minaj, the Grammy-winning producer is turning the page on a new chapter in his career, collaborating with Migos, Gucci Mane, and Missy Elliott, while also nurturing up-and-coming talent.

Recently, Bangladesh spoke with Rap-Up about a variety of topics, including why he hasn’t worked with Nicki and Weezy since crafting smashes like “Did It On’em” and “A Milli” for the Cash Money stars. “I would like to work with Nicki. I would like to work with Lil Wayne,” said the 39-year-old hitmaker. “I would like to work with anybody. But sometimes, the business unfortunately don’t allow us to deliver the things that we’re here to do. It stops it. It’s the hinderance of everything.”

Later, he elaborated on the topic, which he’s spoken about before, adding, “The type of person I am, I can work with them. I can work with them and deal with not getting paid on the backend, but sometimes you just gotta make a choice with what you want to do in life.”

Fresh off his Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott collaboration “Get It,” Bangladesh also revealed the guest list for his upcoming album, which includes Migos and Guwop. Plus, find out why he believes he and Rihanna will cross paths again.

I came up with the beat first. When I’m in the studio, I keep the conversations about information that I know. So I give people information about food, what to eat, what not to eat, what they thought was nasty but it ain’t nasty if they prepare it right. So I said, “Man, I can make anything taste good.” That became the hook. It’s street talk, she’s talking about in the hook. She can make them come back. Whatever it is, we got what you need to make you come back.

You produced Busta Rhymes’ new single “Get It” featuring Missy Elliott and Kelly Rowland. How did that come together?

It’s just creativity. I had another song that I was fucking with. I just heard this little piece out of that song, “get it, get it, flip it, tip it.” It just caught my ear on some creative shit. I’ll create three or four things out of one, if I hear it. That’s kind of how I create. I heard the drums, kind of like EDM-type shit but it’s hip-hop still. It felt right. Busta came in the studio one day and I had the basics of the beat at that point. When he came in, I added those 808s and the little ride out part. I like to operate like that. I like to get the idea of what it’s gonna be, and if I’m working with somebody…I get with them and finish it…After he did that, we got Missy on it and that was like a dream come true. Busta Rhymes and Missy on my track? I used to buy Busta Rhymes CDs and read the credits. I was a Busta Rhymes fan. Missy came out, I used to see her on remixes, and she wrote Aaliyah joints. When I moved to Atlanta, I was into Aaliyah, Timbaland, and Missy. I was like the only straight male in my school probably listening to Aaliyah in my headphones. It was so inspiring to my craft, to have them on the beat. That’s how inspiration works.

“I was like the only straight male in my school probably listening to Aaliyah in my headphones.”

Nicki Minaj is working on a new album. Will you be a part of it?

I ain’t really talked to Nicki lately. I would like to work with Nicki. I would like to work with Lil Wayne. I would like to work with anybody. But sometimes, the business unfortunately don’t allow us to deliver the things that we’re here to do. It stops it. It’s the hinderance of everything. Me and Wayne only did two joints, but why? Why we only did two joints? Why Bangladesh and Lil Wayne, who did “A Milli” and “6 Foot 7 Foot,” why they only did these two things? Why they don’t got a body of work? Why Nicki, who did “Did It On’em,” which is like the urban favorite, you gotta ask yourself, “Why?” There’s reasons. It’s not me. It’s not the beats ain’t good. I don’t think it’s none of that. It’s just situations don’t allow things to happen sometimes.

“I would like to work with Nicki and Lil Wayne … But sometimes, the business don’t allow us to deliver the things that we’re here to do.”

You mean business?

Yeah, business. The type of person I am, I can work with them. I can work with them and deal with not getting paid on the backend, but sometimes you just gotta make a choice with what you want to do in life.

Who are some people you’ve been working with lately that you’re excited about?

I’ve been working with Missy a lot. That’s exciting to me. That’s besides this Busta Rhymes record. I did songs with her. Who else? I’ve got a joint with Jeremih and Gucci Mane — that shit is hard as hell. It’s like “Lemonade” but more hood though. I’ve been working on my artists and my album.

“I’ve got a joint with Jeremih and Gucci Mane — that shit is hard as hell. It’s like ‘Lemonade’ but more hood.”

Who are you collaborating with on your album?

Sevyn Streeter, Jeremih, Dae Dae, Migos. I got a few new artists on there. Jim Jones, Sean Paul. I’m still adding… That’s about it. I don’t want to jinx myself.

What does Migos-Bangladesh sound like?

That shit dope. It’s an R&B song with B. Smyth from RCA. It’s dope. All three of them are on there and they’re rapping like the Migos when I first heard them rap, that real fast, a lot of words. They kind of rap different now, but it’s like the authentic, the original, so that’s what made the song unique, the way they sound.

You produced “Cockiness (Love It)” for Rihanna. Do you think you will work together again?

Absolutely. That’s just how the universe will operate, the energy, followed by timing, and how you spark one’s brain, how you spark one’s interest. It’s finna get sparked.

In music, you’re just working in hopes of getting to the next thing. If we had it our way, we’d be working with everybody but whatever element they’re in at that moment, whatever producer, writer, or creative energy they’re feeling at that moment, it is what it is. It has nothing to do with how good their shit is. That’s the vibe. As producers and writers, we submit joints, but this is what I’m saying. That’s not intriguing enough. What gets the mind is seeing and believing. That’s what gets the mind. “Oh shit. What’s that going on over there? I need that. Who is that? Oh, I should have been did that with him already!” That’s all it is. We ain’t in right now, but yeah, we kind of are, ’cause I can send them beats and music, but whether they’re gonna connect with it or use it, that’s a whole ‘nother thing. Whoever is in front of their faces, got the attention…It’s a whole ‘nother world. I think logical so I think these things. “Why they ain’t do more of that? Why this ain’t do more of this?” There’s a lot of politics and shit, a lot of things that go along with it. It’s more than just the music.